247sports lists Arkansas-Cincinnati as a top non-conference game in 2022
Arkansas’ 2022 non-conference schedule may not feature a Power-Five opponent, but do not let that fool you. The Razorbacks will still play a tough slate of games to go along with their SEC schedule.
To open the 2022 season, Arkansas will welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats to DWR Razorbacks Stadium. The Bearcats have seen great success under head coach Luke Fickell, as he has taken them to back-to-back New Year’s Six Bowl games, including the Cotton Bowl last season, where they broke the mold for Group-of-Five teams by making the College Football Playoff.
However, it feels that Arkansas and Cincinnati are going on two separate paths this season. That’s what makes this matchup so intriguing says 247sports.
In their list of the best non-conference matchups, Matt Howe ranks Arkansas-Cincinnati as the No. 5 most anticipated non-conference game in College Football for the 2022 season.
These two programs have never met before. Cincinnati enters the 2022 season fresh off of a College Football Playoff appearance, where they lost to Alabama in the semifinals by a score of 27-6. However, the Bearcats lost a ton of talent that helped them get to that point, including quarterback Desmond Ridder, cornerback Sauce Gardner, wideout Alec Pierce, safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Myjai Sanders, all of whom were picked in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft. Arkansas has seen major strides under head coach Sam Pittman, finishing 3-7 in 2020 and 9-4 in 2021. The Razorbacks return quarterback K.J. Jefferson who threw for 2,676 yards and rushed for another 664 in 2021.
The first-ever meeting between Arkansas and Cincinnati is slated for September 3 in Fayetteville. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CDT, and can be seen on ESPN.
List
Top 100 college football games of 2022: Arkansas in seven
